Chapter Three « Adventures In Kitten Heels

Chapter Three

March 23, 2008 · Leave a Comment

I ventured into The Big City for spring break, along with MademoiselleChampagne! It made for my fourth trip to New York, but nevertheless was amazing. I would have updated this during the trip, but my mac was being repaired!

We stayed in Chelsea, in a friend’s historic brownstone. They have the top 3 floors, so it was really spacious and relaxing. Everyday was packed full of activities, and we rarely slept in. I guess you could say getting up before 9 am during break is silly, but I love getting an early start to the day! Here’s how the first half of the week went down:

Saturday March 15th was the first leg of the trip. MademoiselleChampagne and I boarded the bus at nine in the morning and were off on a four hour journey through three states to get to our destination. Arriving in The Big Apple just past the lunch hour, we hailed a taxi and headed to our home for the next week, right in the heart of Chelsea. After climbing four flights of stairs in kitten heels, toting my luggage remind you, we collapsed at the door of our lovely hosts. After unloading our baggage, and a cool glass of water – we were refreshed enough to take an evening stroll along the lovely Chelsea Piers. We headed south to the Meatpacking District, turned right at Helmut Lang’s studio crossed the ‘highway’ and walked over to the waterfront promenade. It was a beautiful scene to be walking along the Delaware as the skies darkened into night. We headed into Negril for some delicious Caribbean food – I suggest the coconut shrimp and mango hot wings! So good!

After a well deserved sleep, we got up and took the 1 train to mid Central Park. We wandered through the park to the Loeb Boathouse, one of my favorite places in all of NYC. We had a delicious brunch (see pictures) and after stuffing ourselves we took a long stroll through the north end of the park. I think we covered every part of Central Park there is to do. We did the reservoir walk, the lawns, Strawberry Fields, the Boat pond, Belvedere Castle, the Mall, and everything in between! We walked south out of the park to the New York Public Library. The library is one of the prettiest buildings in the city, I especially love the lion statues that seem to guard it. We stopped at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral- which now stands as the prettiest religious building I’ve ever been into – before heading home to Chelsea.

Monday was Saint Patrick’s Day! Murray’s Bagels – the favorite bagel shop of Chelsea – filled our tummies with delightful bagels( where we went back morning after morning through the rest of the week). MademoiselleChampagne and I spent the late morning freezing in a crowd of people that had gathered to see the parade! We had a decent view, but most the fun was watching the crazy mob of people decked in all their Irish gear. I actually felt like I wasn’t Irish enough (a crazy thought for those that know my spirited Black Irish self). We skipped out early to miss the crowds (and drunks) and went to the Top of the Rock. Having gone to the top of the Empire State Building, I think I have to recommend the Rock, it’s cheaper and I think it has a better view. When you’re looking at the city skyline you want to see the Empire State Building- not be on it! We did some minor shopping at the Rockefeller Center, but headed over to Times Square to do real damage. We rested in Bryant Park, and day dreamed about attending Fashion Week. We were feeling Mexican for dinner, so we headed south along 8th Ave to find this awesome burrito place called Benny’s – after wandering around lost for a couple blocks, we finally located it! The food was great, but it was the service that made me love the place. We walked home to the beat of a city that never sleeps.

Tuesday was spent on a ferry, the Staten Island Ferry. Our friend suggested trying it out instead of doing the one that goes to the Statue of Liberty. I’m so glad we took his advice! The Staten Island Ferry is free, and goes right by Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty! Win! Besides, once you’re on the island, you can’t see the statue, and it’s not like you can go inside it anymore. As we were picnicking in Battery Park, the company that runs the ferries to the Statue and Liberty announced that it was out of passes for the day- lucky us for beating the crowds on the free ferry! We walked up Broadway to the Financial District, which has some cool old buildings, and stopped by Trinity Church. We headed east to the South Seaport area, and after stopping in the tourist driven mall on the piers, we headed back to Chelsea. My host said we had to go to her favorite Spanish Seafood restaurant. The lobster dinner was fantastic, as were the Alaskan King Crab Legs. To bed on a full stomach!

Wednesday was really low key, running around Manhattan in kitten heels can do some major damage to the feet! We lazed around this amazing patisserie on 9th Ave. I experienced possibly the best chocolate croissant of my life, along with a generous bowl of hot chocolate. We went to the movies, and shopped around the neighborhood.

I’ll write about the second half in the next chapter!

Cheers!

<3 CrownRoyal